Ken Price, Rebecca Warren and Charles Long: What Turds Can Tell Us About Complicity and Implication
Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at 01:58PM .jpg)
From Bataille’s attention to Dali’s dirty pants (for which he was banned from Surrealism), to the more recent hype surrounding Chris Offili’s elephant dung paintings, shit appears again and again in art as the scene of a crime. We can give this criminal scene a history - Dominique Laporte wrote that “to produce is literally to shit.” In his historical research on the subject, Laporte writes that the rise of private property and the modern subject is coincident with the belief that human urine and feces – once believed to have hygienic, medicinal and cosmetic values – were removed from public view and disposed of according to state law. With imaginations framed within the same economy, utopian socialists would later recommend tax payment in feces so that the world’s soil would never be depleted of its fertilizer.*
We might pause a bit over the appearance of feces as it has appeared lately on pedestals and in the current Whitney Biennial. In the 2006 exhibition of Ken Price at Matthew Marks, each pile on a pedestal had the same appealing surface that Price has been working with for several years now. Price’s earlier works using this surface technique are amoeboid forms, often referred to as waves, but they are more akin to figures in that they perform as little ego personalities that beckon and labor for attention. The more recent piles of excrement, as excrement, don’t allow the figure into the work in quite the same way, so anthropomorphic ego is cast differently here. The charm of a beckoning personality completely fell away for a perverse fascination with the surface detail of a clump. 
The overall tone of the Ken Price exhibition was that of a dare, asking us to buy into the neutral equivalence of capital and human waste. But across the street, in a smaller space run by the same gallery, was the work of Rebecca Warren, also a ceramicist whose “figurines” of unfired clay were an entrancing pre-oedipal delirium of breasts, rosettes, smears, slabs and fissures. These went beyond erotic seduction, puncturing time with the kind of perverse fascination that a part-object can arouse. While not so explicitly excremental as Ken Price’s turds, in Rebecca Warrens’ sculpture the entire surface of the world could be opened out by the materiality of vision as intimate and other, and in defiance of figurative representation while at the same time embodying it.
There is something similar in Charles Long’s extruded forms, currently at the Whitney Biennial, so leggy and fragile that their call upon space seems to exceed or fall short of figuration while at the same time haunting and imploring upon the space of our figurative imagination. That these figures are modeled upon the feces of herons only complicates the desire to figure them out, as though the fact of their graceful origin should stamp them out in space as the creatures they are, but in the end can only leave them hanging limp and in need of support. One might be tempted to think of Giacommetti, but this is an existential crisis of a different sort.
There has been a lot of talk lately about the role of complicity in contemporary art. For now, I use these samples of excrement as a way to describe how the fact that “to produce is literally to shit” provides the scene of a crime played out differently by Ken Price and Charles Long.
Ken Price’s complicity began with his early interest in ceramics as a tourist trade display, with his interest in the migration from one “aesthetic” to another in the form of the coffee cup, and in his interest in crossing the breach between art and craft. He plays the game and teaches us the rules as he breaks them. Price’s new invitation to complicity, however, that of the chameleon’s dare, only works because we already know the score.
In viewing Ken Price’s giant turds, our “crime” is to be completely seduced by their beautiful finish, and to take some satisfaction in the fact that the joke is on us. Complicity breeds contempt, and we seem to be eating loads of it these days. Charles Long, and for that matter most of the artists in the Whitney Biennial, are not interested at all in complicity but in what it means to be implicated.
The difference between complicity and implication has as much to do with the form of the object and its surface detail as it has to do with varying structures of our vision. The detritus of a polluted river can have as much visual interest in Long's work as Price’s surface technique, but it is altogether of a different order. Price's turd appeared through the gallery window - in a storefront - and the works of Rebecca Warren and Charles Long are comparatively un-photogenic, but no less - and in fact more- engaging. Further, while his sculptures are far from photogenic, Long’s need to exhibit albumen photographs of heron droppings beside his sculptures of those same droppings catches us in our nostalgia for the real, and our nostalgia implicates us in the disappearance of the real that we long for. 
*Dominique Laporte, History of Shit, Nadia Benabid and Rodolphe el-Khoury, trans., MIT: 2000, p. 131.
Photo credits:Ken Price,Bulgogi,2006,Painted reinforced composite fiber,86 x 63 x 84 inches,218 x 160 x 213 cm;Ken Price,Lower,2006,Fired and painted clay,11 x 19 1/2 x 18 inches,28 x 50 x 46 cm; Rebecca Warren, In the Last Ditch I Think of You,2005,Reinforced clay and plinth,69 x 37x 24 7/8 inches;Rebecca Warren,M,2005,Reinforced clay and plinth,72 x 21 3/4 x 29 inches; 183 x 55 x 74 cm. Images of Price and Warren, Courtesy of Matthew Marks. Charles Long, Untitled, 2006, papier mache,, plaster, steel, synthetic polymer, revier sediment, and debris, 144x72x7". Collection of the artist, Courtesy Tanya Bonadkar Gallery, N.Y.
Reader Comments (18)
Related to this posting on the properties of excrement is the tasting of wine - read this and the response on http://www.artworldsalon.com/blog/03/16/taste-v-price-why-critics-dont-matter-ch-36/" REL="nofollow">Artworld Salon.
All gucci handbags and replica handbags are designed in Italian styles by the best replica gucci designers of the world. Just go through our online louis vuitton bags catalogue for all gucci handbags, and you could get all you want,lv are like flowers in a royal garden.Junlilai Provide Mdf Cabinet,Pvc Bathroom Cabinet,Wood Cabinet.润辰专业提供压力传感器，公司拥有精良的设备,为用户提供优质的压力传感器产品和服务。杭州三替搬家是杭州搬家公司中非常流行的,杭州搬家公司诚信第一,杭州长途搬家.专业定做文化衫，T恤衫等各类广告促销品的衣服.投资移民办理公司『凌宇移民』专业提供办理香港投资移民,加拿大投资移民,美国移民,新加坡移民,澳洲投资移民等服务,为您量身定制合适的投资移民。
Thanks for taking this opportunity to talk about this, I feel fervently about it and I like learning about this subject will keep your new article. Thank you for your sharing!cheap fashion accessories
,and
give us some suggession.yhm1104011
Today I saw a girl on the street wearing a white,Christian Louboutin Bridal Shoes,boots and pink Manolo Shoes, at the store were filled with a lot of, トリーバーチ 靴, always have their own シャネル 財布, dazzling Tory Burch, see you do not know how dazzling selection,トリーバーチ,Sexy ,Jimmy Choo Shoes Sal, and a unique design with superb quality .Red Bottom Shoes Designer,Tory Burch Reva Flats On Sale,Rock Drilling Tools,SKF Bearing,ルブタン,マークジェイコブス,フェラガモ,マノロブラニク,ジミーチュウ,シャネル コピー,シャネル 時計,シャネル j12,シャネル アクセサリー,シャネル ピアス,ルブタン サンダル,トリーバーチ サンダル,トリーバーチ バッグ,トリーバーチ 財布,Louboutin Pas Cher,Christian Louboutin Wedding Shoes,Christian Louboutin Wedding,Zumba DVD,Insanity DVD,Charlotte Olympia Shoes
louis vuitton wallet
chanel wallets
gucci wallets
coach wallets
prada wallets
louis vuitton wallet sale
coach wallets sale
Louis Vuitton Wallets
Gucci Wallets
Prada Wallets
Coach Wallets
Chanel Wallets
Juicy Wallets
Miu Miu Wallets
Chloe Wallets
Ed Hardy Wallets
Tous Wallets
D&G Wallets
Burberry Wallets
Fendi Wallets
Louis Vuitton Wallets Mens
Gucci Wallets Mens
Armani Wallets Mens
Prada Wallets Mens
Coach Wallets Mens
Chanel Wallets Mens
Burberry Wallets Mens
Fendi Wallets Mens
So my suggestion to all of those who are considering tiffany jewellery as a gift for your loved ones for any special occasion would be to definitely check out their amazing. The collection is so huge and with lots of variety that you are sure to find tiffany uk for everyone. So your wait for a good piece of tiffany jewellery uk ends with the variety offered. tiffany and co is incredibly popular, and the collectable nature of these beautiful pieces of means that many people are searching for them online. As with any designer label, there will always be companies selling tiffany co jewellery, however when you are buying online how can you be sure that what you are purchasing is the genuine .
In this modern and fashionable society, people are pursuing for links of London cool, unique, stylish and innovative. Whether it is links of london uk or fashion accessories all means a lot for modern society of today. Same is the case with trendy looking tiffany jewellery uk. When these are tiffany and co, the excitement just gets doubled. Most chic looking tiffany co jewellery are in fashion now. These are one of the favorite fashion accessories for men and women long time ago.
UGG Tassel
UGG Tassel Sale
UGG Tassel
Tassel UGG Boots
UGG 通販 On Friday evening UGG ブーツ last I received アグ ブーツ from His Majesty UGG 新作 the mission to UGG 人気 form a new ルイヴィトン administration. ルイヴィトン 靴 It was the evident ルイヴィトン メンズ will of Parliament ルイヴィトン レディース and the nation ルイヴィトン スニーカー that this ルイヴィトン 靴新作 should be conceived ルイヴィトン 靴激安 on the broadest abercrombie uk possible basis and that abercrombie uk online it should include abercrombie and fitch uk all parties. abercrombie uk shop I have already abercrombie completed the abercrombie men most important part of abercrombie women this task. replica bags A war cabinet has been replica bags outlet formed of five members, bag store online representing, グッチ with the Labor, グッチ バッグ Opposition and Liberals, グッチ 財布 the unity グッチ 長財布 of the nation. 靴 It was necessary that 新作 this should be done コピー in one single 激安 day on account of the 通販 extreme urgency Gucci and rigor of events. UGG Other key positions アグ were filled yesterday. UGG激安 I am submitting a further UGG 通販 list to the King tonight. UGG店舗 I hope to UGG オーストラリア complete the appointment アグ 店舗 of principal Ministers ブランドUGG during tomorrow UGG 靴.
burberry is incredibly popular, and the collectable nature of these beautiful pieces of means that many people are searching for them online. As with any designer label, there will always be companies selling burberry handbags, however when you are buying online how can you be sure that what you are purchasing is the genuine . If you are buying directly from the official michael kors bags, then you are of course going to be getting the real deal. However there are many resellers, and smaller michael kors dresses stores which may have special offers or stock a particular item which you cannot find elsewhere. Thankfully, michael kors sandals are forward thinking, and give the stores which they supply to online a "Certified Online Retailer" badge which they can display on their websites. If you are still unsure about whether or not the site is genuine, you could always visit the genuine michael kors totes website and do a store search for the online retailer. If they appear in michael kors satchel listings then they are sure to be an authentic reseller. If you are looking to buy some more charms to add to your abercrombie, but are considering buying charms which are not official then there are a few things to consider. Firstly, the abercrombie and fitch uk may not fit well, either with hole being too small for the, or too big - so that the bead may move around more, causing more wear to the beads on either side. Also, are all made with silver or gold centres, which minimises the amount of wear on abercrombie uk worn side by side. Another make of may use harder, cheaper metals, which could scratch and damage genuine abercrombie uk Another make of may use harder, cheaper metals, which could scratch and damage genuine abercrombie & fitch sale
Discount automotive tools from more Car Diagnostic Tools than 120 manufacturers on sale today.Obd2 Scanner Software Buy and sell Automotive Tools items on eBay Motors online auction Automotive Scan Tool Shop Sears.com for Mechanics Tool Sets.Find brands like Craftsman,ATD Car Scanner Code Reid Supply Company,Craftsman Evolv and more.
Thanks for all the great information I have found here. I see so much I can do with my blog now. Lose weight Orange County
Cheap UGGS For Sale
Cheap UGGS Online
UGGS For Sale
Uggs Clearance
Uggs On Clearance
Uggs Clearance Outlet
Ugg Australia Sale UK
Ugg Sale UK
Ugg Boots Sale UK
application software
system software
cheap software
oem software
Adobe Creative Suite CS5.5 Design Premium
Adobe Creative Suite CS5.5 Master Collection
Microsoft product key
Adobe serial number
We have every right to dream heroic Karen Milen Sale dreams. Those who say that we’re in a time when there are no heroes -- timberland classic boot just don’t know where to look. You can see heroes every day going in and out of factory gates. Others, a handful in number, produce enough food to feed all of us and then Karen Millen Multicolor beyond. You meet heroes across a counter -- and they’re on both sides of that counter. Karen Millen Shop for women are entrepreneurs with faith in themselves and faith in an idea who create new jobs, new wealth and opportunity.